Sleep
by Ne Quittez Pas
Summary: A series of short drabbles detailing the various methods Raito utilizes to make L get some rest. Shonen ai. LxRaito RaitoxL
1. Breathe

"Mmn... Ryuuzaki..."

L spared a glance at Raito, fingers pausing over the keys of his laptop. Raito shifted a bit in the bed, and L dismissed it as sleep-talking before returning to his work.

"Ryuuzaki." L glanced at Raito again, sighing through his nose. Raito was somewhat awake, propped up on the pillows and looking rumpled and unrested. L licked his lips briefly before pointedly ignoring the feeling in his gut that stemmed from that look. Raito paused for a moment, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands before blinking up at L again. "What are you doing?"

L fixed Raito with a blank stare. "I am working, Raito-kun." L paused this time, before saying, "Raito-kun should be sleeping."

Raito grumbled a little and crawled over L. L froze, heart beating faster and wondering what Raito was up to. His breathing evened out once more as Raito pulled away-- with his laptop. Raito saved L's work and shut the laptop before putting it on the bedside table and giving him a pointed look.

"Ryuuzaki-san should be sleeping, too." He mumbled in a tired imitation of L's speech pattern. He tugged gently on the chain that bound him to L, jerking L in his direction. L gave a small cry of protest as Raito pulled the blankets over them both. Raito flopped back on the pillows, looking at L tiredly. Slowly, his eyelids started to droop.

"Raito-kun, I am not tired." L droned before Raito's eyes could flutter shut. Raito twitched a little and fixed his tired gaze on L once more, annoyed. He stared vacantly at L, who wondered for a moment if Raito had fallen asleep with his eyes open. This theory was dashed when Raito pulled L to his chest, placing his ear next to Raito's heart. "Raito-kun?" L questioned warily, nose pressed against the silk of the other boy's pajamas. Raito shushed him quietly and held L's head to his torso. L was quiet, but watched Raito carefully, suspicious. His eyes were half-lidded, blankly watching L's dark mop of hair rise and fall with his own breathing. After a few minutes, L dared to speak again. "Raito-kun, what--"

"Don't." Raito plead tiredly, eyes glazed and staring at the opposite wall. "Don't talk... don't think. Just concentrate on my breathing."

L slowly shut his mouth and obeyed. He had the distinct feeling that arguing at this point would be fruitless. He forced himself to relax in the warm embrace, and soon found himself breathing in time with Raito, inhaling his scent and counting his heart beats. It was nice, to be enveloped in warmth like this, and L vaguely registered that had been tired after all. In the back of his mind, there was a protest, something that told him that he shouldn't be so relaxed in this boy's arms, but as his eyelids fluttered shut, he could not hear it. He could only hear Raito's breathing.


	2. Massage

L inhaled deeply. Raito didn't smell like anything he had ever smelled. It was a nice smell, pleasant, and L doubted there was anything in the world quite like it. He exhaled, and Raito shifted as the breath tickled his neck. L felt a bit guilty as he felt Raito stir beneath him, but also relieved. Perhaps Raito knew another way to get him to sleep?...

The last method, listening to Raito's breathing, was soothing, but it had proven ineffective tonight. Raito groaned and L's head sank deeper into the fabric of Raito's shirt.

"Can't sleep again, Ryuuzaki?" Raito mumbled as he sat up, rubbing his eyes again. L continued to lean on Raito's chest and shook his head, listening as Raito's breath evened out. He smiled a little, wondering if Raito knew that he forgot to use honorifics when he was tired. L turned his head and inhaled Raito's scent once more before sitting up and staring. The younger boy stared back, slowly waking up. His gaze on L was calculating, and L would have been suspicious had it been focused on him during the day-- now, however, he knew that Raito was simply pondering the best way to lull L to sleep.

Raito seemed to come to a conclusion, because he nodded to himself and took hold of L's shoulders, turning L around and pulling him into his lap. L furrowed his brow, failing to see how this would help his predicament. "Raito--"

"Take your shirt off." Raito mumbled tiredly.

L twisted around quickly, staring in Raito's exhausted eyes, searching. "Excuse me?" Raito blinked and furrowed his brow, groggy mind running through explanations as to why L looked suspicious and slightly scandalized. Recognition dawned on his face and he shook his head.

"I'm not going to molest you, Ryuuzaki-san." Raito scolded in a murmur. "Take your shirt off."

L still didn't quite trust Raito, but he had become accustomed to more than three hours of sleep per night, so he turned around once more and unlocked the handcuffs just long enough for him to peel his shirt off and toss it to the floor. L stiffened as Raito's hand's roamed over the skin of his back slowly, leisurely. He opened his mouth to protest the touch, but Raito's hands found his shoulders and squeezed.

"Unnnh..." L felt his face and neck heat up as the sound left his throat. Raito shook below him with suppressed chuckles, and L stared at the wall defiantly. Raito was, after all, not playing fair. L hissed sharply as Raito hit a certain spot. The strong hands froze immediately.

"Are you--"

"Fine." L hated how breathless he sounded, but... "...do that again?" Raito chuckled again and his hands worked over that same spot. L's back arched and he closed his eyes. A deep moan built up in his throat, and he fought to keep it down. It was a losing battle. Raito's hands brushed across L's broad shoulders, working out the knots of tension that came from hunching over computers all day. And then they pressed into that spot again, hard, and the moan came unbidden from L's mouth. At that point, L gave up resisting, merely letting his eyes drift closed and letting out a low mewl every time Raito pressed that one spot on his shoulders.

After a while, L felt the hands stop and he started to open his eyes, but one of Raito's hands covered them as the other pushed him back down into the covers. As L drifted off, he heard his own voice thanking Raito. There was a low response, and L floated into darkness.


	3. Warm Milk

L stared at the warm liquid in the cup, almost disbelieving. He then turned his gaze to Raito, unsure. "Raito-kun wants me to... drink this?"

Raito's lips perked a little at the sides, a tired, amused smile. "It's warm milk, Ryuuzaki-san. It's supposed to help you get to sleep." L looked back to the liquid, eyeing it like it was poison. He slowly lifted the cup to his face, sniffing cautiously. His nose wrinkled and he looked back at Raito.

"...There's no sugar in it."

Raito fought the smile off his face, attempting to look serious. "Putting sugar in it would defeat the point, Ryuuzaki-san." He watched L intently, waiting for the older man to drink. He was procrastinating. "If you don't drink it now, it'll just get cold." Raito warned, but judging by the expression on L's face, he doubted the man would mind. L looked back to Raito, the corners of his lips turned down.

"Doesn't Raito have anything more... pleasant?" He ventured.

"I'm not going to give you a massage every time you can't sleep." Raito said, sounding rather amused.

"I wasn't suggesting that." L argued back, glancing at the milk. "Just... not this."

"Just try it." Raito said, pushing the mug towards L's hesitant lips. "If you don't like it, I won't make you drink the rest." L made no motion to drink, but narrowed his eyes.

"How do I know that Raito-kun is not attempting to poison me?" L asked in a last-ditch effort to escape the milk. Raito pursed his lips, amused tone gone now.

"If I was Kira," He started, "I wouldn't need to poison you. And if I wanted you dead, I had plenty of opportunity last night... or the night before..." He glared at L, who almost, almost felt guilty. Almost. Slowly, deliberately, Raito took the mug from L's hands and brought it to his own mouth. His eyes locked with L's as he took a long, deep sip, then handed the mug back to L, the level of liquid considerably lower. "Try it." Raito repeated, staring at L again, unblinking.

L sighed. There was no avoiding it now. He brought the mug to his lips, scrunching his nose and squeezing his eyes shut as he took a tiny sip... and then another tiny sip... and another... L's expression smoothed out and he looked at the white liquid in surprise. The milk was sweet on its own, and the warmth of the drink was already starting to take effect. Eyelids drooping, L shot a look to Raito that was at once guilty and thankful, and Raito nodded, accepting that that was the most that he would get from the detective. L lifted the mug and quickly drained the rest of the liquid. Setting it in the sink, he turned to see Raito smirking at him.

"Raito-kun is being suspicious again." L warned. Raito's smirk widened just a little and he approached L, who leaned back as far as possible before his head hit a cabinet and he couldn't retreat further. Raito leaned in, gold eyes meeting black in defiant amusement, and his lips brushed the top of L's. L froze, eyes wide and disbelieving as Raito's lips moved and his warm tongue pushed its way across L's lips. Slowly, hesitantly, L opened his mouth, but Raito did not deepen the kiss. He pulled back, smirking at the dazed, confused look that had found its way to L's face.

"You had a mustache."


	4. Mystery Pills

L stared at the small white pill in the palm of Raito's hand, then at Raito.

"...Raito-kun wants to drug me." L stated blandly, looking slightly disappointed.

"Don't give me that look!" Raito said, frowning. "Look, Ryuuzaki-san, I'm too tired to put you to sleep myself... besides, this is melatonin." L's stare remained blank, so Raito elaborated. "It's made naturally in the body to help regulate sleep cycles." L sighed through his nose and put the pill into his mouth, swallowing with a grimace. Raito flashed a quick, tired smile before turning out the light.

Raito awoke in the middle of the night from a blow to the head. He shot upright, glaring around for the source of the blow, then froze. His gaze had fallen upon L, who was still sleeping. His eyes were squeezed shut, teeth clenched as he writhed in the sheets. His teeth unclenched and he gave a strangled cry. Raito's heart broke. He felt dirty, seeing L this weak and unprotected, like he had caused it. Thinking back to the pill he had given him earlier, Raito realized that he probably had. He scooped L's flailing form into his arms, pinning the dangerous limbs to his side as he struggled.

"Ryuuzaki! Ryuuzaki!" He cried, tightening his grip around the man's torso. The man continued to fight the grip. "L!" L's eyes shot open, darting around the room in a panic, before landing on the arms around him. He twisted around to look at Raito, betrayal shining in his eyes. Raito frowned, apologetic. "I'm sorry." He muttered, relaxing his grip slowly and averting his gaze. L's eyes widened slightly and he gripped Raito's shoulder's, shaking his head. Raito nodded slightly and put his arms back around L's middle. The older man took several deep breaths, calming himself. Finally he rested his head in the crook of Raito's neck, relaxed.

"I am no longer accepting mystery pills from Raito-kun..."


	5. Lullaby

L watched Raito sleep, wondering. To wake him, or not to wake him? In recent nights, Raito had proved quite useful in putting L to sleep. And, he thought, the younger boy owed him for the disaster with the melatonin. Mind made up, he rolled on top of Raito and lightly shook the boy's shoulder until his dark gaze was met with a glazed golden one. L licked his lips again before pronouncing, "I cannot sleep."

Raito released a long breath through his nose and patiently lifted L off of himself and back onto the bed sheets. He then propped himself up, leaning over L and gazing down at him pensively. Slowly, Raito lifted one hand and gently shut L's eyelids, sighing tiredly. L kept them shut, breathing lightly through his mouth as Raito lightly grazed his fingertips over L's eyes and cheeks. The touch was almost nonexistent, and L could feel himself drifting off as Raito started murmuring a slight melody. It was odd, L thought, to hear him sing. It didn't seem like something Raito was capable of. L knew that if he was awake, he would not have enjoyed the lullaby quite so much, but in his current state, it was calming, reassuring.

"Mori no fukuro ga iimashita, watashi was mori no mihari yaku..."

L realized, in the back of his mind, that no one had ever sung him to sleep like this before. He enjoyed the sound of it, the warmth of the exhaled breath and the body above him, and the gentle vibrations of Raito's voice. He found himself leaning into the younger man's hand. There was a pause, then a brief shift in the weight on the bed, allowing Raito to use both of his hands. The hand that was not caressing L's face combed through his dark hair, and L sighed contentedly.

"...Kowai okami, kitsune nado, kosasenai kara ne ne shina..."

L's last thought, before he drifted off, was that he would have to do this more often.

"Gorosuke ho ho, gorosuke ho..."

The name of the lullaby is Mori no Fukuro, and it's about an owl. PM me if you would like the English translation.


	6. Foot Bath?

L watched quietly, head tilted to one side as Raito poured a generous amount of pink liquid into the running water. The younger boy then proceeded to place a hand in the running water, adjusting the temperature as bubbles formed. L raised an eyebrow, a tiny smile pulling at his lips.

"Raito-kun is giving me a bubble bath?"

Raito turned to glance at L over his shoulder, then turned back to the water. "Don't be absurd, Ryuuzaki-san. We are sharing a bubble bath."

"I see..." L murmured, climbing into the bubbly water with Raito. Once he was in the water, L immediately curled into his usual position, legs to his chest and hands perched on his knees. Raito smiled a little at that. "Isn't hot water supposed to wake you up?" L asked, not really interested in the answer but wanting to hear Raito speak nonetheless.

"It can..." Raito sighed, leaning his head back against the edge of the tub and shivering a little as the cold porcelain hit his shoulders. "I tried not to make it too hot, though... just warm enough... to relax the muscles..." He let his eyes drift shut, enjoying the warmth. L felt himself relaxing in the warmth, as well, but he was still restless. He looked around for something to entertain himself and found... Raito.

Raito blinked and stared at L as the man picked up his foot, staring intently as he held it. "...What are you doing?"

"Raito-kun has very elegant feet." L observed, moving his hand over Raito's foot. Raito made a small noise and shifted in the water, causing L to look up at him, one eyebrow raised. Color rushed to Raito's cheeks and his mouth hung open, not quite believing that he'd slipped like that. L smirked a little, pushing the spot again. Raito mewled and tried to take his foot back, but L gripped it tightly. "Raito-kun has very sensitive feet." He said, amazed at this discovery. He pushed again.

"Nng, stop it, Ryuuzaki." Raito pleaded, forgetting honorifics and once more trying to yank his foot back. L held on and shook his head.

"I owe Raito-kun a massage anyway." L said as an excuse. He smirked a little, eager to get even for the noises Raito had made him make a few nights ago. His hands worked their way over Raito's foot, every once in a while hitting a spot that would make Raito gasp and attempt to jerk it back. After a few minutes, L switched feet. Pushing into a spot in the center of Raito's foot, L's head jerked up in shocked amusement as Raito made the most interesting noise.

"Mmnnnngh... R-Ryuuzaki, please..." He murmured, leaning his head back and closing his eyes while half-heartedly attempting to reclaim his foot.

"Mmm... I will have to give Raito-kun massages more often, if these are the sounds he's going to make." L said, licking his lips again as he looked at Raito's flushed face.

Then Raito promptly dunked L's head under water.


	7. One Thing or Another

L blinked as his fingers hit the mattress. Odd. He could have sworn there had been a laptop there a moment ago. He looked up to see Raito saving his work and shutting down the computer.

"Raito-kun, I'm not tired yet." L murmured, holding his hands out for the computer. "Let me work."

"No." Raito put the computer on the table, where L couldn't reach it from the bed. "It's no wonder you can never fall asleep, Ryuuzaki-san. If you keep using the bed as a work space, your subconscious will label it as such and not allow you to sleep in one."

L pursed his lips as he watched Raito crawl under the sheets and collapse against the pillows. "The bed is an ideal work space." L argued as the boy gazed up at him. "It is comfortable, and I am able to fall asleep in the same place whenever I become too tired."

Raito glared tiredly up at L. "Despite what you think, beds were made for sleep and sex, not work." L stared at Raito, once again licking his lips. Raito furrowed his brow. "What?"

"I don't want to sleep yet."


	8. Sleepy Sounds

(I originally planned this to only have seven chapters, but I got a lot of feedback on this asking for me to continue, so I'll just keep going until I run out of tricks to get to sleep with. If anyone has any suggestions for a chapter or an interesting sleep remedy that hasn't been done, please don't hesitate to tell me.)

L picked up the CD case as Raito placed the disk in the player. He raised an eyebrow and looked up.

"'Sleepy sounds'." He quoted, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Raito-kun thinks I am five?"

Raito frowned a little and pressed play, shooting L an annoyed look. "I know it sounds cheesy, but it's supposed to be soothing." As he finished speaking, the speakers began to emit low sounds, waves upon a beach. Satisfied, Raito turned out the light and crawled into the bed next to L. L watched as Raito's eyes drifted shut and he entered a light sleep. Sighing through his nose, L turned to stare at the CD player. He waited, preparing to be soothed. He was not. If anything, the background noise was distracting him, keeping him up. Pursing his lips, he turned back to Raito. Then he froze, eyebrows raised.

Raito, it seemed, was dreaming. The young man moved his arms and legs, trying to... well, L wasn't quite sure what Raito was trying to do, but it seemed pretty urgent. There was something wrong, L knew, but he couldn't figure it out. Something was missing in this scene... L listened hard for a moment. There were the waves. And there was L's breathing.

Where was Raito's?

L's gaze found Raito's face once more, seeing it turn slightly purple. "Raito-kun!" L shook Raito's shoulders until the boy jerked up with a loud gasp and much flailing of limbs. A flying fist knocked L back and Raito stared at him with wide, shocked eyes, gasping for air. "Raito-kun was not breathing." L offered as a hesitant explanation.

Grimly, mouth set in a firm line, Raito crawled over L and took the CD out of the player. He then proceeded to throw it at the wall, where it broke into several pieces.

"No more sleepy sounds?" L ventured as Raito flopped back onto the mattress.

"No more sleepy sounds."

(In case anyone was wondering, Raito was dreaming that he was swimming.)


	9. Mask

"...What is that?" L asked hesitantly, eying the dark cloth in Raito's hand and not sure if he really wanted an answer. Raito finished turning out the lights before answering.

"It's an eye mask." He explained, crawling under the sheets and scooting closer to L. "Light can make it hard to sleep, so an eye mask can help to block out excess light." He moved to place the mask on L, but the older man tossed it out of his hands. Raito furrowed his brow and opened his mouth to protest, but gasped instead as L seized him around the middle and pulled him closer.

"Why would I want to block out excess Light?" L asked, smirking and nuzzling Raito's neck. "I love Light."

Raito froze in his struggling and drew back to stare at L, who stared right back. The younger man's mouth opened and closed a few times as the blood rushed to his face. Then he leaned in again and buried his warm face in L's neck. "I love you, too..." Embarrassment was radiating off of the boy, which L found highly amusing. Raito searched for anything else to think about, and his eyes landed on the discarded eye mask. "You're not going to wear it, are you?"

"Mm..." L faked deep thought. "Raito-kun wishes to sleep in a bed with drowsy, blind-folded, hand-cuffed man... this sounds like a repeat of chapter seven."

Raito groaned and buried his face in L's neck once more as they sank back to the mattress.


	10. Socks

L jerked his foot back, glaring at Raito and looking positively betrayed. Raito glared back, annoyed.

"They're just socks, Ryuuzaki-kun."

L shook his head, drawing his legs to his chest in an attempt to further distance his lover from his feet. "This is where I draw the line on Raito-kun's bizarre sleep remedies." Raito grit his teeth.

"They're not bizarre." He hissed, crawling next to L and attempting to reclaim the man's feet. L sat on them to guard against the fuzzy socks clutched in one of Raito's hands. Raito sighed through his nose and looked back up at L. "Warm feet help blood flow. Good blood flow helps sleep. Therefore, warm feet help sleep. Now give me your feet."

"No." L said stubbornly, smacking away Raito's approaching hand. Raito growled.

"What's your problem with socks, anyway?"

L ignored Raito's question, grabbing the socks from his hand and tossing them across the room. Raito grunted and made to fetch them, but L pulled Raito down by his shoulders. He searched Raito's face for a moment, thumb at his lips in thought. Then, abruptly, the thumb came away..

"I have a better idea." L scrambled under the covers and stared pointedly at Raito, who hesitantly did the same. The younger man jumped as something cold and smooth touched his feet. After a second he realized that they were L's feet, and he smiled a little. L raised his eyebrows hopefully. "Raito-kun will keep my feet warm?"

Raito looked concerned. "Are you sure your feet are the only part of you that's cold?"

L thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, my lips are a bit chilly..."

The lights flicked off, and the socks lay forgotten on the floor.


	11. Fanfiction?

"Lie down on your back." Raito instructed softly. L nodded slightly and sank back onto the mattress, gazing up at the younger man through half-lidded eyes. "Close your eyes." L hesitated, then lowered his eyelids the rest of the way, breathing deeply. "That's right... You're exhausted, Ryuuzaki."

"I am?" L furrowed his brow.

"Sh. Yes. You're very, very tired. You worked really hard today, and now you are tired." Raito narrated in a voice barely above a whisper. L's lips quirked a little, but he played along. "Now, tighten the muscles in your feet... and now relax. And now your legs... and your stomach... and your arms... all the way up your body. You're tired, and you're relaxed, and you start to drift into sleep..."

"Raito-kun, this is ridiculous. You sound like badly written fanfiction."


	12. Counting Sheep

"Raito."

"Mnn... go away."

"Raito."

"I'm not here. Leave a message."

"Raito."

"Ng!" The young boy buried his head further into his pillow in an effort to block out his older lover. "Just... count sheep, or something!" L paused, then brought his finger (which had previously been poking Raito from slumber) to his lips.

"One... two..."

"Not out loud!" Raito complained, smacking L feebly. The dark haired man quieted, pouting, and tried to do as asked.

'One sheep... two sheep... red shee-- no, no, three sheep, four sheep, aren't lambs sheep? Lambs... Silence of the Lambs. Damn it...' L growled and turned to Raito once more, ready to wake him up, but paused. Raito was very close... close enough for L to see that Raito had several freckles dotting his nose. L's eyes widened. He'd never noticed those before... they were quite faint. The corners of his lips tugged upwards and he settled further into the covers.

'One freckle... two freckles...'

(Thanks AmaranthineAnathema for the idea. Please, if you know tricks that I haven't use yet, tell me!)


	13. Onions

A lone tear trailed down L's cheek as the knife fell.

"...Why is Raito-kun chopping an onion?" L asked curiously, watching over the brunette's shoulder as he haphazardly cut the onion. Raito sniffed as well, wiping his stinging eyes.

"To strengthen the smell..." L raised an eyebrow and Raito elaborated. "I heard somewhere that smelling an onion ten minutes before bed can help you get to sleep." L's other eyebrow raised as well, until both had disappeared beneath unruly black bangs.

"Raito-kun wants me to sniff onions."

"I want you to sniff onions." The other boy confirmed tearily. L rubbed his eyes and managed a small glare.

"I think Raito-kun just wants to see me cry." Raito frowned and dropped the knife on the counter before scooping L into his arms. He buried his damp eyes in L's shirt, breathing deeply.

"I don't ever want to see you cry."

(Thanks Nezumi Wing for the onion thing-- I'd never head that one before...)


	14. Stomach Rub

L sighed through his nose, staring at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes. His body was tired, but his mind... he jumped a little, a small sound of discontent escaping his lips as the hem of his shirt was lifted up. He leaned his head up to glare weakly at Raito. "Raito-kun, I_ told_ you already, I'm too tired..."

Raito smirked and rolled his eyes, leaving L's shirt bunched up over his shoulders. "I'm not trying to seduce you, I'm going to rub your stomach until you fall asleep."

"You're going to... what?"

"Rub your stomach." Raito repeated, laying next to L and placing a hand on the older man's stomach. L tried to remove it as Raito started moving it in clockwise circles. "What's the matter?"

"Raito-kun thinks I am a dog." L murmured, then frowned when Raito laughed and put his hand back on his stomach. He had to admit, though, it felt nice... L resisted his drooping eyelids, trying to fight his own drowsiness. "Stop," he said weakly, lips coming together in what looked almost like a pout.

"Sh... I don't think you're a dog." Raito ran his free hand through L's messy black locks and he reluctantly closed his eyes. Raito smiled and, as L drifted to sleep, murmured, "Good boy."


	15. Decaf

L stared at the dark liquid in his cup, horrified. "Raito-kun," He called, hurriedly waving the man over.

"Yes?" Raito hummed innocently. L narrowed his eyes. _Too innocently_.

"What is this?" He asked dangerously, gesturing at his cup. Raito blinked and smiled, feigning patient confusion.

"It's coffee, Ryuuzaki-kun."

"No it's not." L shot back, shoving the cup under Raito's nose. "There's no caffeine in it."

Raito sighed. "No, there isn't any caffeine." L looked triumphant, putting the cup in Raito's hands.

"Caffeine," was all he said.

"No."

L blinked. "What? _Why?_"

"It's for your own good. How are you supposed to get to sleep tonight if you keep drinking espresso like it's water?"

"You don't understand, Raito-kun, if I don't have caff--"

Raito sighed as L toppled out of the chair, asleep, and went to make a decent cup of coffee.


	16. Sex!

Raito frowned, stubbornly pulling his pajama top over his head. L smirked, tugging it off again. Raito made to grab the article back, but L tossed it carelessly out of his reach. Raito growled in frustration.

"Are you going to let me get dressed?!"

L's lips quirked briefly as his eyes trailed over his lover's exposed torso. His tongue peeked out briefly, then, "No."

"And why the hell not?"

L paused and took a stack of paper off of the bedside table before turning around and displaying them to Raito. "These are testimonies from insomniacs." He explained. "They suggest that having sex is a good way to fall asleep."

Raito stared, shocked and flustered as he blushed cherry red and his mouth worked noiselessly. L's smirk widened in triumph and he lunged at Raito, who yelped as the papers fell to the floor, forgotten.


	17. No Sex?

As Raito climbed in bed once more the next night, he stepped on something. Brow furrowed, he bent to pick up what he recognized as the papers L had shown him the night before. He narrowed his eyes and turned to glare at his lover, who was smirking without a hint of guilt.

"Ryuuzaki?..."

"Yes, Raito-kun?"

"Your 'testimonies' are a bunch of ones and zeros."

"That they are, Raito-kun."

Raito flushed at the trick and growled. "I've got a good way for you to get to sleep..."

"And what would that be?"

Raito lunged and knocked the older man off the bed. "Masturbation!"


	18. Bedtime Story

"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a princess." Raito began dramatically.

"Why is this even relevant?" L interrupted, mainly objecting for the purpose of seeing Raito's disgruntled face. He was not disappointed. "Why do all fairy tales start with royalty? Princesses, no less..."

"_Fine, _then. There was once a peasant man called L, who pricked his finger on a cursed needle and fell asleep."

"That makes no sense. There's no such thing as a cursed needle."

"Okay then, it was a diseased needle. L pricked his finger on a diseased needle and fell into a coma."

"Why is the peasant in the story called L, anyways? Are you just not creative?"

"L's parents were too poor to buy a vowel." Raito snapped. "Right. L is in a coma. And the only thing that could wake him up was for him to receive true love's kiss."

"that's both illogical and scientifically impossible. Who could fall in love with him if he's sleeping? Who comes up with a disease where the only cure is molestation.?"

"Okay then... the only antidote is the saliva of a medicine man who had survived the illness."

"So he's just going to go out of his way to swap spit with some comatose guy he's never met?"

"Well, luckily, the medicine man was L's gay lover-" L blushed at this."-So he had no problem swapping spit with L, who wouldn't consider his kiss to be molestation. And so the medicine man rushed to his lover's side, gazing sorrowfully down at the still peaceful face... wishing he wore it more often. And so the medicine man waited until L got a good 8hours of sleep before waking him up and ravishing him." Raito finished with finality, nodding and folding his arms.

L blinked. "What was the moral of that story?"

Raito smirked. "I'm not kissing you until you get some sleep."

L's eyes widened, and he scrambled under the sheets to the sound of Raito's laughter.

(Thanks go to fouloldron for the bedtime story idea)


	19. Healthy Snack

L stared at the bowl with revulsion. It was the kind of look of pure and unadulterated loathing that Raito reserved for rapists and mass murderers.

L reserved it for health food.

"Come on, Ryuuzaki." Raito urged, pushing the bowl forward. "They're frozen grapes—they're practically Popsicles!"

"There's no sugar in it." L complained, leaning away and turning to face the wall. "I refuse."

Raito sighed, taking the bowl and popping a grape into his mouth, enjoying the juicy crunch. "They're _good_," He sang, attempting to tempt his lover. No go. "Just try it?" L shook his head firmly, staring at the wall. Raito hugged, brow furrowing. He popped another grape into his mouth before grabbing L's shoulders and spinning him around. He pressed his lips to L's roughly, and the older man slowly relaxed into the kiss. When he opened his mouth, however,his brow furrowed as something could and round rolled into his mouth. Raito smiled and pulled back while L chewed quietly.

"Well?" Raito asked when L had swallowed. L didn't answer, rebelliously quiet as he reached for another grape.

(Thanks go to kiraclone.)


	20. Rosewater

L stared at the clear liquid before raising an eyebrow. "Raito-kun wants me to do _what_, exactly?"

"Rinse your eyes with the rosewater and then put a drop of ghee in each eye." Raito said, reading off of a small printout. L's other eyebrow raised as well, skeptical.

"And just how did Raito-kun come by this pagan sleep spell?"

Raito smirked, before replying in a playful tone, "I told the witch doctor I was in love with you!..."

"Don't." L warned, glaring.

"I told the witch doctor I was in love with you!..."

"I'll dump the water on you."

"And then the witch doctor, he told me what to do, he told me-- Ack!" Raito broke off from his impromptu song, wet and spluttering as L smirked in triumph.


	21. Cookies

Deep black pools shone with delight as Raito set the package down in front of L. The older man looked up at the younger, disbelieving.

"Raito-kun is really giving me sugar before bed?" He asked tentatively, eying the package eagerly. Raito smirked a little and nodded.

"It's recommended by a lot of people... and, I figure that you eat so much of it, you must have built up quite a tolerance for it, so a little won't hurt."

L's lips quirked into a delighted and vaguely childlike smile before he took the package and reached in for a handful of cookies. Mouth full and full of mirth, L pushed out, "I believe I like this method." Raito simply rolled his eyes and made to grab the package. L tugged it out of his reach, brow furrowing. "What are you doing?"

"A _little_ won't hurt." Raito repeated, stretching more and succeeding in recovering the package. "As in, two or three cookies. Not two or three _bags_ of cookies."

L watched, devastated and betrayed, as the rest of the cookies were stashed away. "Raito-kun is being cruel and unusual in his punishment for my behavior in the previous chapter." L told his cookies regretfully. Raito tossed another cookie at the back of his lover's head, accompanied by an amused, 'I heard that!'.


	22. Acupuncture

(Click.)

L rested his head drowsily on Raito's shoulder, peeking at the screen of his laptop.

"What is Raito-kun doing?" His head bobbed a little on Raito's shoulder as he spoke. Raito glanced at L briefly before turning his attention back to the search page.

(Click.) "I'm looking for an acupuncturist." (Click click.)

L tensed (click), eyeing his lover warily. "...Why?"

"Acupuncture is supposed to help relax the body, so it can help with insomnia, too." Raito caught sight of L's betrayed look out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

"Raito-kun wishes to stick needles in me?"

Raito hesitated. "Well... yes, that is the general idea."

"Eleven percent."


	23. Exercise

"Why tennis?" L asked, his voice muffled by the thumb at his frowning mouth. He attempted to wiggle his toes inside of the loose tennis shoes, and the frown deepened.

"Exercise can help you get to sleep." Raito replied, tightening the laces on his own shows. "Working up a sweat before bed will make you relaxed when it's actually time to sleep." Raito paused and stood up. "Besides, don't you want to stretch after couching in a computer chair all day?"

L sighed and shook his head. "If Raito-kun wanted to sleep with me, he could have just said so."


	24. Television

"I didn't think Raito-kun enjoyed television." L murmured against his teeth, observing Raito's shadowed face in the flickering light of the television. Raito stifled a small yawn, holding the remote limply in his hand.

"I don't. I'm looking for something boring to put you to sleep." Raito paused, his brain registering the deep, low tones of a documentary's narrator. He dropped the remote thankfully and sank back into the cushions, asleep. L cocked his head to the side, then focused on what Raito had selected.

"Could we really create a dinosaur by turning back the genetic clock on today's modern birds? Our search next takes us to China, where..."

--

Raito blinked and tugged on the chain linking him to L. "You're still tired?"

L's head bobbed minutely as he blinked rapidly. He managed to force out, "Raito's 'boring' program was fascinating..." before toppling out of his chair, asleep.


	25. What Not to Do

L breathed quickly, the air hot on Raito's neck as L trailed thin, pale fingers up and down his lover's side. Raito elbowed him in the gut with a groan.

"Bad. Sleep." Raito murmured, muffled by the pillow. L persisted, kissing lightly up Raito's neck. Raito gave a groan that sounded something like "wryasergeck", but L seemed to understand.

"My collapse in Chapter 24 allowed me to catch up on my rest." L reasoned with a smirk. "I could stay up all night."

"...No more naps for you."


End file.
